The interest of how to use neuromarketing methods for web has increased in recent years alongside the explosion of online content that we see today. In the same period of time there has also been a shift in how we access the internet compared to a couple of years ago. Smartphones and tablets are becoming the main tools in accessing the web, and online interaction between companies and consumers is increasing. Since these facts have made the area of web design more complex than ever, how can you know what web design that best suits the purpose of your business? Great insights can be gained by using Virtual eye tracking techniques that could save you both time and money.  

Today we are constantly experiencing greater demands on websites in terms of compelling and responsive design, relevant content and usability. But in many development processes there are a lot of interests and objectives to be met. There are also common requirements to make the websites look modern and there are many theories and perceptions of how certain websites are supposed to be designed. Web design processes often becomes a matter of prioritization and, in most cases, a web page has multiple aims and multiple audiences for different content. But trying to get attention in all areas with an advanced lavish design can make the most important areas harder to notice and use, the elements that may be more important in achieving business goals and increase sales.

In web development, as in marketing in general, it’s all about knowing your different customers or users and how they interact with your site. A lot of web research is therefore based on understanding consumer interaction online and behaviour on the site. But when comparing design alternatives in traditional split tests, many developers often seem to focus too much on conversions and click rates rather than using the knowledge of the human brain and subconscious decision-making. Since we are unaware of our perception it’s not always rewarding to ask users about their behaviour on the site. Furthermore it’s not always effective to compare different prototypes. It requires a lot of coding, which costs extra time and effort. Thus, CTR analysis does not always give the whole answer on why click rates are low. This is where Eye tracking tools come into play.

Virtual eye tracking for web can be an important piece of the puzzle in understanding web design effectiveness and usability for company sites. It may also be great in analysing campaign sites and landing pages. In these kinds of sites the goals are already prioritized and there is often only one message to be communicated.

Even though the utility of Eye tracking is evident, developers have been reluctant towards using the method because of long turnaround times and cost-full operations. But today there are effective alternatives in terms of Virtual eye tracking that provide great insights from both a bottom-up and a top-down perspective. These methods can have a great value, especially since the initial overall impression should not be underestimated.

Back in 2006 researchers concluded that the brain makes decisions almost as fast as the eye can take in information when browsing a website. They also found that first impressions could have a lasting impact because of the “halo effect”. If people perceive a website to be good, the positive quality will spread to other specific areas in the website’s content. According to theories of justification, users will continue to use the website that made a great first impression as this will confirm their initial decision. The doctor responsible for the experiment stated the following:

“Unless the first impression is favourable, visitors will be out of your site before they even know that you might be offering more than your competitors”

These findings really confirm the importance of making a great first impression and having a compelling and matching website design. Yet, there is no universal formula in how to optimize the design and to find the perfect fit for your company. But by using Eye tracking techniques you can more thoroughly understand how your customers and visitors interact with your website. Using these insights, you can better understand what key elements to emphasize and how to optimize for the first impression, making visitors stay longer and increase conversions.